


Imposter's Day

by Impmon



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Blood, Brainwashing, Cults, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Purification, death tw, perceived main character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-14 23:14:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15399729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impmon/pseuds/Impmon
Summary: This one-shot is what I believe might have happened if Daniel had shown up on Parent's Day, instead of Jermy's parents.This was based on this ask --> https://campcampscenarios.tumblr.com/post/171242406273/i-got-kind-of-a-dumb-one-so-sorry-but-during





	Imposter's Day

_***KNOCK KNOCK*** _

Max, David, and Gwen froze.

A hush fell over the mess hall as all the parents and campers quieted to see who the latecomer was. The door swung open just as a bolt of lightning flashed, obscuring their figure with white light for a moment.

“Why, hello, everyone.” Daniel said, revealing his identity before their eyes could adjust. His eyes swept the mess hall and he furrowed his brow as he surveyed the people there, most notably the two large agents who were currently giving Daniel a suspicious look. His eyes fell on a parent’s day poster and he cleared his throat and smiled. “Happy Parents Day.”

Daniel crossed the room to where David and Gwen stood. He looked down and winked at Max as he passed, who glared in response. As he approached, Gwen groaned at him and slammed her head down on the table.

“Oh, um, Daniel!” David smiled nervously, “Not that I’m not thrilled to see you, but I, er, fired you.”

“Oh, Davey, I would never hold a grudge against you!” He put a hand over his heart, “I merely came to congratulate you after I heard about Parents Day! I couldn’t miss the festivities!”

“Oh!” David said, perking up, “Well, of course, you’re welcome to stay!”

“Excellent!” Daniel grinned.

Max marched up to David, clearly fuming.

“Why the fuck is he here! You brought back the cultist??” Max demanded.

“Now, Max, mind your manners. Loving a camp, and how could you not love Camp Campbell, and wanting it to be the best it can be does not make you a cultist!” David reprimanded. “If it bothers you so much, just stay away from him.”

“Gladly.” Max glared at Daniel. “I’m watching you, asshole.” And marched back across the mess hall to where Nikki and Neil were bonding over their messed up parents.

“Ah, children.” Daniel sighed.

Gwen stood and left to handle a bit of a scuffle happening between parents, leaving Daniel and David alone together.

David watched Daniel track Max around the room with his eyes. He cleared his throat, drawing Daniel’s attention to him.

“You’re very interested in Max.” David said shortly.

“Yes, well, I should probably tell you something.” Daniel said, taking a deep breath. “Don’t tell anyone, because it would upset Max.”

David straightened with interest.

“I’m Max’s father.” He said, then hurried to continue, “Not biologically, of course, but I married his mother last year. He hates me.” Daniel looked sad for a moment. “He hates me for replacing his father and keeps it a secret from everyone.”

David narrowed his eyes skeptically. He thought back to Max saying “I love you, Daniel!” and how out of character that was. He thought about how Max had been so adamant of Daniel leaving, up to the point of trying to convince him that he ran a cult. He thought about how sad Daniel had looked, and how his eyes followed Max around. And he considered the possibility.

“I met his mother at a party. She’s a beautiful little woman.” Daniel mused, smiling softly. “She’s kind, and warm, and assertive. I got to know her and we started dating. She introduced me to Max and, boy, did that go awfully.” He laughed a little. “He hated me the minute he saw me. He would do whatever he could to convince his mother to leave me, but she didn’t. The night I proposed to her, Max pulled me aside and looked me in the eyes and told me ‘I swear to fucking god if you do a single thing to hurt My Mom, I will make sure you never walk again’. Then, he kicked me in the shins. He was our ring bearer.”

“Daniel, I had no idea!” David said, shocked.

“I’m sure that that’s how Max wants it.” He shrugged. “I’m telling you because I trust you’ll keep this private. For Max’s sake.”

“Of course!” He promised.

And then, David watched. He watched how every time Max met Daniel’s eye, Max would glare and Daniel would smile and wave back. He watched Daniel offer Max a cup of juice, and he watched Max tell Daniel off in what appeared to be colourful words. He watched Daniel talk to Neil and Nikki and laugh. He watched it all, and he believed it.

David was giddy with knowledge. He loved being trusted with something so personal, and he loved knowing more about Max. When Gwen asked what had him so excited, he told her that he was just happy to see everyone together! And then, he’d relish in the fact that he had told a fib.

When he saw that Max and Daniel had disappeared during the time he had gotten himself a cup of juice, he’s shrug and be happy they were spending some time together. He hoped that they’d work out some of their issues now that they were out of the house together.

“Where’s Max?” Gwen asked.

“I think he’s just gone out to get some air. I wouldn’t worry.” David shrugged, taking a sip of juice.

“Well, he’d better not cause any problems.” Gwen grumbled.

“David!” Neil and Nikki yelled, dashing over to him, “Max has been kidnapped!”

“Calm down, Max is fine.” David hushed.

“NO! We saw him leave with Daniel!” They insisted.

David sighed. He knew Max was often dramatic and put up a fight about anything and everything. He knew how children, Nikki and Neil included, often jumped to the worst-case scenario. Nobody could blame him for not being worried.

They yelled in frustration, and ran out. They returned, ten minutes later, alone and frantic. David tensed, suddenly very worried. He watched them round up the campers and their families and he watched them run out together. He and Gwen followed hot on their heels.

They looked all over camp, but Max and Daniel were nowhere to be found. Not in the tents, or in the counsellor cabin, or in the outhouses, or at the docks. Their yells were answered with a smothering silence.

“Call the police!” Someone yelled.

David was already on the phone with a dispatcher.

They sent all of the campers home with their families that night. The police brought dogs and they combed the camp and the surrounding areas.

David was numb and shaking as he held a sobbing Gwen in his arms. He didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know how to feel. A policeman David didn’t recognize approached him.

“The dogs found this.” He held up a blue hoodie. It was covered in splotches of something dark. “Do you recognize it?”

David broke down just then. All he could do was nod through his wails.

They never did find him.

Several summers came and went. Camp Campbell shut its doors for good after that. David, himself, made sure of it. Nobody was there to tend the grounds, keep the mold from eating the log cabins, or to do repairs. Nobody left footprints in the dirt. Nobody conditioned the fire-pit. Nobody trekked the forests.

Nobody, except for David.

He stayed, he lived in the counsellor’s cabin as it fell down around his ears. He spent all day, everyday, in the forest praying that he’d find something they hadn’t seen before. A shoe, a knife, a corp-

Almost anything, really.

Sometimes, David would be treated to the presence of Mr. Campbell, though if David was being honest… he wasn’t thrilled about him anymore. Not after how he covered up what happened to poor Max all those years ago. David felt himself wondering why Max’s parents never called. In any case, Mr. Campbell’s company was better than no company at all, so he was grateful.

Today, David was driving into town. He was low on food, water, batteries, and toiletries and he would be no help to Max if he was in bad condition. Though, perhaps he’d skip the razors. He was starting to suit the scruff that had been growing in.

When he arrived in town he got the same stares and hushed whispers as he always did. They all knew him here. They knew him from before, and they knew him from after. He knew they didn’t worry for him. Not really. He was just a small dose of excitement in an otherwise dull town.

David tried not to be bitter, but he was struggling.

He tossed his stuff on the counter of the general store. He didn’t make small talk with the cashier. He didn’t exchange eye contact or pleasantries. He didn’t answer any questions. He paid fifteen dollars too much, and grabbed his things and left. He didn’t come back when the cashier called him for his change.

David stopped at the one bar in town and ordered a hard shirley temple. He knocked it back and stood to leave. He heard the barber mumble something about ‘hitting his shirley temple hard’ but didn’t have it in him to care.

David got back to the wagon and popped the trunk. He threw his bag in a bit harder than was necessary and slammed it shut. He turned to get in the driver’s seat, but froze when he came face to face with a woman. He didn’t know how long she had been standing behind him, but it couldn’t have been for very long.

“Can I help you, miss?” David asked politely.

“No, but maybe I can help you.” She said hesitantly. “You’re the man who’s been looking for that boy who disappeared, right?”

David felt his insides ice over. “Do you know something?” He asked, hoping desperately that she did, but fearing it in the same way.

She handed him a newspaper. He read the headline and gasped.

_**“Camp Cultist and Co. Still At Large** _

_The country’s most wanted cultist, Daniel Whitewood, has been spotted leaving Camp Henisaw last tuesday. There were, as per usual, no survivors. Our witness, however, claims that Whitewood was not alone._

_‘He was with some kid. About 16, I’d say. He looked indian, and was wearing all white like the cultist. He was covered in blood’._

_Has Whitewood taken a hostage? Or, perhaps, an apprentice. Neighbouring camps have sent their campers home for the summer, fearing that a similar fate may befall them.”_

“Is it…” The woman trailed off, looking at him nervously.

“It’s him.” David choked out, eyes full of tears. “It’s Max.”

And, he was on the road before dusk.

**Author's Note:**

> Me?? Ignoring my actual writing projects???? Pff, never. How dare you even insinuate that. I've never been so insulted in my life.


End file.
